By Linda Lee – Curry Coastal Pilot – January 2, 2025 link to original story
Nestled in the heart of Southern Oregon Coast, Wally’s House is a shining example of community collaboration. This child abuse intervention center has been a lifeline for countless victims and their families, providing them with compassionate intervention, assessment and advocacy.
Their mission is clear: to create a child-focused, community-based system of prevention and healing.
It’s a non-profit organization steered by a dedicated board of volunteers and a team of passionate staff members. Their operation is fueled by a combination of public funding through government grants and the generosity of private donors.
Recently, Wally’s House received a significant boost in their mission with a generous donation from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust.
This private foundation, dedicated to supporting nonprofits in the Pacific Northwest, announced a grant of over $6.2 million to Oregon communities, with three hundred thousand dollars designated for Wally’s House.
The Murdock donation became a game-changer for Wally’s House. Their current facility, while instrumental in their work, is overcrowded and lacks space for vital services.
“We’ve been getting funding from multiple foundations and all over the community to improve services for children’s mental health,” said Executive Director Jacki Antunes. “We’re grateful to have so much support.”
Thankfully, last September, the county’s only child advocacy center providing assessments and support services to children and youth who are suspected victims of abuse, were able to break ground at their facility in Gold Beach.
The new facility will be a testament to the community’s commitment to protecting children. It will boast a dedicated space for the outreach and prevention program, a full-time therapist’s office and an additional office for an intern therapist. Therapeutic meeting spaces will cater to family therapy, play therapy and art/tactile therapy thereby providing a holistic approach to healing.
“We’re under construction for the new building,” said Antunes. “We really hope to open our doors by June of 2025.”
The center will not only serve abused children, but will also act as a central hub for community partners. A designated volunteer area with a separate entrance will ensure the privacy of therapy clients while allowing community partners to observe forensic interviews in the current facility. This integrated approach fosters collaboration and ensures a coordinated response to child abuse cases.
“In all of the things that we’re doing, like with the gala that will be next April, we’re reaching out to community businesses to create better outreach,” said Antunes. “We’re creating a packet that we can send to other centers and they can use it for their fund raisers.”
The new Wally’s House Children’s Wellness Center represents more than just bricks and mortar. It represents a community’s unwavering commitment to protecting its most vulnerable members – its children.
Log onto: https://wallyshouse.org/get-involved/facility-plan/ for more information.
